Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-09-15

81 do not recall many Of the ladies who
were leaders in Washington society when
my father was president, for was too
young to know them intimately, and girl
associates of my own age were not nu-
merous. 1 recall what beautiful woman
Blanche Butler was, who married General
Ames; she was SO handsome and refined.
Kate Chase Sprague was a very queenly
woman. Miss Minnie Chandler who mar
ried Senator Eugene Hale, was another
of the interesting girls of that period
when life was just beginning to be real
to me.
ssHow wonderfully things have changed
since those days. Hardly any of the
men who were prominent in politics In
those days are in public life DOW. [
knew General Cameron well, and liked
him SO mnch, and he seemed a great
character to me, although when he came
in to chat with my father I generally
left.
"But these are reflections in which I
ought not to indulge. I have new
possibilities in these days. You spoke
about the condition of women in Eng
land. 1t is somewhat different here than
in America, but you must remember that
ladies assume more self-reliance here
than merican women know. They are
resolute, full Of good health, are fond of
exercise and take to the sports of the
field with the men. They do not expect
the attention which the American women
demand, yet think English ladies are
treated with courtesy as real and sub
stantial as the women Of any other coun-
try. There may not be quite SO much
obsequious courtesy shown them, but In
those elements of association which
really tend to make up ones happiness
there is as much attention paid women
IN England as anywhere in the world. 1t
is an old country and its customs are
well established. There is not the 1.-THE
of ceremony that most people think and
there is a great deal to commend in
what American women find so very
strange at first, but would very soon fall
iuto''
STILL AN AMERICAN WOMAN.
This interesting woman whom, ali
Americans fell interested in, thus chatted
on about her lite in the land of her
adoption. She is the plain unassuming
gentlewoman she was years before she
knew anything about the European arts
tocratie life. From what she says it is
easy to see that she is meeting all the re-
quirements of her position. She must
have felt radical changes in her life
abroad. From the petted child of a
great ruler to the quiet of an ordinary
English home is long distance, but she
seems to have dropped into the
groove of everyday life easily and COM
fortably.
Her husbands father is very old man
and his happiness seems to be III looking
after the welfare of this American girl
and her little family of children. Beside
the beautiful country home of which |
have written, he bought her house in
London, where she lives whenever inclin-
alton dictates. In the early part of the
winter she usually goes there, but leaves
the city before the fashionable season be-
gins. Her tastes do not seem to run in
that direction. She lives in the city in
winter merely for comfort and takes
little or no part In those festivities SO
| we'll known In London after the season
| begins. Seeing her at her own home In
this old country house brings up flood
| of reflections in relation to her past and
| the future. Before this letter can be
read by your readers she will be with her
family at Long Branch. Her reflections
when there will be very interesting. She
has witnessed mighty changes since those
days when she was the cGurted daughter
OF the ruler of a great nation. Long
Branch then was the summer capital
where brilliant men and women went fOl
the best social life, and her family was the
center of it. So will find all this greatly
changed.
| FRANK RTrRI,